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H.R. 1040 · 115th Congress

Flat Tax Act

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IntroducedPassed one chamberPassed both chambersBecame law (gold)Resolution agreed to (full, dark)Failed or vetoed (gray)

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Never voted on. It didn't reach a floor vote before the 115th Congress ended, so it expired. A bill has to be introduced again to be considered in a new Congress.

3 cosponsors · 3 R

1 signed on when it was introduced; the rest joined later. Cosponsors who withdrew aren't shown.

This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to authorize an individual or a person engaged in business activity to make an irrevocable election to be subject to a flat tax (in lieu of the existing income tax provisions) of 19% for the first two years after an election is made, and 17% thereafter.

What it does: CRS summary · Introduced in House · Feb 14, 2017

Flat Tax Act

This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to authorize an individual or a person engaged in business activity to make an irrevocable election to be subject to a flat tax (in lieu of the existing income tax provisions) of 19% for the first two years after an election is made, and 17% thereafter.

The bill calculates taxable income for individual taxpayers by subtracting a basic standard deduction and an additional standard deduction for each dependent from the total of wages, retirement distributions, and unemployment compensation. "Business taxable income" is gross active income reduced by certain deductions for the cost of business inputs, wages, and retirement contributions.

The bill imposes an employer tax on the value of excludable compensation provided to employees not engaged in business activity of 19% for the first two years after an election is made under this bill and 17% thereafter.

The bill also repeals the estate, gift, and generation-skipping transfer taxes.

A two-thirds vote of the House of Representatives and the Senate is required to increase the flat tax rate proposed by this bill or to reduce the amount of the standard deduction or business-related deductions allowed by this bill.

Written by the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service. All summary versions on Congress.gov

About this bill and sources

Official title: Flat Tax Act

Latest action (Feb 14, 2017): Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Rules, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

Policy area: Taxation · Origin: House · Introduced: Feb 14, 2017

Official page on Congress.gov · Bill text (GovInfo) · Status record (XML)

No recorded floor vote found.